Home network system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for communicating over a home network comprising a coax backbone, the method comprising:
- selecting, by a plurality of network modules coupled to the coax backbone, one of the plurality of network modules to operate as a master module, wherein each of the plurality of network modules is configured to operate as the master module by at least assigning a respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules when selected to operate as the master module;
assigning, by the master module, the respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules;
establishing direct communication between the plurality of network modules, wherein each of the plurality of network modules are located within a home, over the coax backbone;
establishing direct communication between the plurality of the network modules and a demarcation point unit,said plurality of network modules being coupled to the demarcation point unit via the coax backbone,said demarcation point unit providing an interface between the home network and an external network,said demarcation point unit being separate from the master module,said establishing direct communication between each of the plurality of network modules for establishing communication on a home network side of the demarcation point unit;
using the master module to receive requests sent over the coax backbone from the plurality of network modules for bandwidth to transmit bursts;
establishing an order of transmission opportunities for the plurality of network modules to follow when transmitting bursts directly to other network modules via the coax backbone; and
using the master module to transmit an allocation burst that comprises the assigned identifiers of at least some of the plurality of network modules over the coax backbone, the allocation burst allocating a transmission opportunity to the at least some of the plurality of network modules identified by the assigned identifiers to transmit bursts comprising variable sized packets directly to other network modules via the coax backbone, said transmission opportunity that depends at least in part on an amount of data ready for transmission in a selected transmission cycle, said allocation burst being based on said transmission order.
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Abstract
A home network, in one embodiment including a home wiring system; a demarcation point unit in electrical communication with the home wiring system; and a home network module in electrical communication with the home wiring system. The home network module is adapted for connection to a home electronic device. The demarcation point unit passes data to and receives data from the home electronic device through the home network module.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for communicating over a home network comprising a coax backbone, the method comprising:
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selecting, by a plurality of network modules coupled to the coax backbone, one of the plurality of network modules to operate as a master module, wherein each of the plurality of network modules is configured to operate as the master module by at least assigning a respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules when selected to operate as the master module; assigning, by the master module, the respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules; establishing direct communication between the plurality of network modules, wherein each of the plurality of network modules are located within a home, over the coax backbone; establishing direct communication between the plurality of the network modules and a demarcation point unit, said plurality of network modules being coupled to the demarcation point unit via the coax backbone, said demarcation point unit providing an interface between the home network and an external network, said demarcation point unit being separate from the master module, said establishing direct communication between each of the plurality of network modules for establishing communication on a home network side of the demarcation point unit; using the master module to receive requests sent over the coax backbone from the plurality of network modules for bandwidth to transmit bursts; establishing an order of transmission opportunities for the plurality of network modules to follow when transmitting bursts directly to other network modules via the coax backbone; and using the master module to transmit an allocation burst that comprises the assigned identifiers of at least some of the plurality of network modules over the coax backbone, the allocation burst allocating a transmission opportunity to the at least some of the plurality of network modules identified by the assigned identifiers to transmit bursts comprising variable sized packets directly to other network modules via the coax backbone, said transmission opportunity that depends at least in part on an amount of data ready for transmission in a selected transmission cycle, said allocation burst being based on said transmission order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A home network comprising:
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a coax backbone; a plurality of network modules, each of said plurality of network modules being connected to the coax backbone, each of said plurality of network modules configured for location within a home, each of the plurality of network modules being configured to operate as a master module by at least assigning a respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules when determined to operate as the master module, said plurality of network modules being in direct, exclusively in-home, communication via at least one splitter with a demarcation point unit over the coax backbone, said demarcation point unit providing an interface between the home network and an external network, said demarcation point unit being external to the plurality of network modules; and the master module being connected to the coax backbone and being determined, by the plurality of network modules, from the plurality of the network modules, the master module assigning the respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules, the master module that receives requests from the plurality of network modules over the coax backbone, the master module that is located within the home and allows access to the home network from a cable head-end, the requests being for bandwidth to transmit bursts directly over the coax backbone to other network modules, the master module that establishes a transmission order of transmission opportunities for the plurality of network modules to follow when transmitting bursts to other network modules and that transmits a burst comprising the assigned identifiers of the plurality of network modules over the coax backbone that allocates a transmission opportunity to each of the plurality of network modules to transmit bursts comprising variable sized packets, said burst being based on said transmission order, said transmission order being based at least in part on said received requests, wherein each of the plurality of network modules is configured to communicate with other network modules via the coax backbone and wherein a parameter of a transmission opportunity for a selected network module depends at least in part on an amount of data ready for transmission at the selected network module in a selected transmission cycle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An integrated circuit storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor on a computer system, perform a method, the method comprising:
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in a home network having a plurality of network modules, each of said plurality of network modules being located within a home, each of said plurality of network modules being configured to operate as a master module by at least assigning a respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules when selected to operate as the master module, each of said plurality of network modules being connected to a coax backbone, said plurality of network modules communicating over the coax backbone, the communicating comprising; determining, by the plurality of network modules, one of the plurality of network modules to operate as the master module; assigning, by the master module, the respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules; establishing direct communication between two or more of the plurality of network modules over the coax backbone; establishing direct communication between two or more of the plurality of the network modules and a demarcation point unit, said plurality of network modules being coupled to the demarcation point unit via the coax backbone, said demarcation point unit providing an interface between the home network and an external network, the establishing direct communication between two or more of the plurality of network modules over the coax backbone for establishing direct communication between the two or more of the network modules without the communication passing through the demarcation point unit onto the external network, said demarcation point unit being separate from the master module; using the master module to receive requests sent over the coax backbone from the plurality of network modules for bandwidth to transmit bursts; in response to receiving the requests, establishing an order of transmission opportunities for the each of the plurality of network modules to follow when transmitting bursts that comprise variable sized packets directly to other network modules; and using the master module to transmit an allocation burst that comprises the assigned identifiers of the plurality of network modules over the coax backbone that allocates a transmission opportunity to each of the plurality of network modules to transmit bursts, said allocation burst being based on said transmission order, said transmission opportunity that depends at least in part on an amount of data ready for transmission in a selected transmission cycle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for communicating over a network comprising a coaxial backbone, the method comprises:
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selecting, by a plurality of network modules coupled to the coaxial backbone, one of the plurality of network modules to operate as a master module, wherein each of the plurality of network modules is configured to operate as the master module by at least assigning a respective identifier to each of the plurality modules when selected to operate as the master module and at least one of the plurality of network modules comprises a gateway device that provides an interface between the network and an external network; registering, by the master module, the plurality of network modules; assigning, by the master module, the respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules; synchronizing, by the master module, the plurality of network modules; allocating, by the master module, bandwidth to at least some of the plurality of network modules using an allocation burst that comprises the respective identifiers assigned to the at least some of the plurality of network modules; and managing, by the master module, transmissions comprising variable sized packets of the plurality of network modules over the network. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method for operating a network module in a network comprising a coaxial backbone, the method comprising:
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participating, by the network module, in a selection, by a plurality of network modules coupled to the coaxial backbone, of a master module for the network, wherein the network module, and the plurality of network modules, are each configured to operate as the master module for the network when selected as the master module for the network, and at least one of the plurality of network modules, or the network module, comprising a gateway device that provides an interface between the network and an external network; when the network module has been selected to operate as the master module for the network; registering the plurality of network modules; assigning a respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules; synchronizing the plurality of network modules; allocating bandwidth to at least some of the plurality of network modules using a burst that comprises the respective identifiers assigned to the at least some of the plurality of network modules; and managing transmissions comprising variable sized packets of the plurality of network modules over the network; and when another network module of the plurality of network modules has been selected to operate as the master module for the network; registering with the another network module of the plurality of network modules; receiving an identifier from the another network module of the plurality of network modules; and receiving a bandwidth allocation comprising the identifier from the another network module of the plurality of network modules. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A computer program product comprising instructions stored in at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the instructions comprising:
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instructions for participating, by a network module, in a selection, by a plurality of network modules coupled to a network comprising a coaxial backbone, of a master module for the network, wherein the network module, and the plurality of network modules, are each configured to operate as the master module for the network when selected as the master module for the network, and at least one of the plurality of network modules, or the network module, comprising a gateway device that provides an interface between the network and an external network; when the network module has been selected to operate as the master module for the network; instructions for registering the plurality of network modules; instructions for assigning a respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules; instructions for synchronizing the plurality of network modules; instructions for allocating bandwidth to at least some of the plurality of network modules using a burst that comprises the respective identifier assigned to the at least some of the plurality of network modules; and instructions for managing transmissions comprising variable sized packets of the plurality of network modules over the network; and when another network module of the plurality of network modules has been selected to operate as the master module for the network; instructions for registering with the another network module of the plurality of network modules; instructions for receiving an identifier from the another network module of the plurality of network modules; and instructions for receiving a bandwidth allocation comprising the identifier from the another network module of the plurality of network modules. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A network module, comprising:
one or more computing devices that are configured to; participate in a selection, by a plurality of network modules coupled to a network comprising a coaxial backbone, of a master module for the network, wherein the network module, and the plurality of network modules, are each configured to operate as the master module for the network when selected as the master module for the network, and at least one of the plurality of network modules, or the network module, comprising a gateway device that provides an interface between the network and an external network; when the network module has been selected to operate as the master module for the network; register the plurality of network modules; assign a respective identifier to each of the plurality of network modules; synchronize the plurality of network modules; allocate bandwidth to at least some of the plurality of network modules using a burst that comprises the respective identifiers assigned to the at least some of the plurality of network modules; and manage transmissions comprising variable sized packets of the plurality of network modules over the network; and when another network module of the plurality of network modules has been selected to operate as the master module for the network; register with the another network module of the plurality of network modules; receive an identifier from the another network module of the plurality of network modules; and receive a bandwidth allocation comprising the identifier from the another network module of the plurality of network modules. - View Dependent Claims (36)
Specification